Terraced vineyards in the Cinque Terre National Park (Italy) are embedded in a steep Mediterranean landscape where viticultural management, cultivar diversity and landscape heterogeneity jointly shape predatory mite communities. This study investigated how vineyard status (productive, PRO vs abandoned, ABA) and cultivar- specific leaf morphotypes drive niche partitioning, species coexistence and biological control potential in Phytoseiidae assemblages across a mosaic of managed and unmanaged terraces. Seven terraced sites were sampled in spring and autumn from 2020 to 2023, collecting 25 leaves per sampling unit (site × vineyard status × cultivar × season × year) across three local cultivars (Albarola, Bosco, Vermentino). Predator mite (Phytoseiidae) communities and their potential prey (Tetranychidae, Eriophyidae, etc.) densities were analysed using GLMs. Across 2,325 leaves, 7,652 predatory mites from 17 species were recorded. These are generalist predators with broad dietary plasticity, which reduces direct trophic competition and facilitates coexistence. PRO vineyards hosted higher phytoseiid densities than ABA (3.8 vs 1.5 individuals/leaf; p < 0.001), with superior predator–pest ratios (PRO ˜22:1 vs ABA ˜7:1), indicating enhanced potential top-down control. Among sites, Corniolo and Manarola, characterized by inter-row herbicide use and bare soil, showed lower predator densities, suggesting a negative effect of groundcover simplification on canopy predators. Season and cultivar did not affect total Phytoseiid density, however, species-level patterns revealed clear microhabitat-driven niche partitioning. High-trichome Albarola promoted multi-species co-occurrence, while glabrous Bosco and Vermentino were dominated by Typhlodromus pyri, with partial competitive segregation from K. aberrans (Pearson’s r ˜ -0.30, p < 0.01). Leaf undersurfaces revealed that domatia at the conjunction of main veins provide important refugia for predatory mites on glabrous or slightly pubescent cultivars. The strong positive association between P. finitimus and Kampimodromus spp. (r = +0.65, p < 0.001) on Albarola further confirms trichome density as a key structural driver of niche partitioning and coexistence. Rare species occurred almost exclusively in abandoned vineyards, which act as biodiversity reservoirs at the landscape scale. The coexistence of productive and abandoned terraces, combined with cultivar-specific leaf morphotypes operating as microhabitat filters, sustains both biological control services and landscape-level ecological resilience. The rich phytoseiid assemblage and high predator–prey ratios indicate strong intrinsic biocontrol potential, suggesting that intensive chemical inputs may be partly redundant. Preserving a mosaic of managed and abandoned terraces, local cultivar diversity, and adopting nature-based practices such as inter-row grass cover are essential for maintaining ecological resilience in line with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030.